Transcription

[Page 130]

When I last wrote to you Harry Veitch came down here to spend a day.  I don't think I had seen him for 18 months but then I had not often [indecipherable] during that time but I never could find him at home.  The day was very cold & I was afraid to leave my room to go to the Houses with him but he [indecipherable] when he came in quite astonished at what had been done since he was here last.  He had made a list of the things he had seen which he did not know or were not in his possession & I have promised that he should have cuttings of them or that Green should strike them for him.  He seemed much pleased & as far as could judge was not annoyed at seeing such a large collection put together without application to himself.  I did not tell him as I might have done that I had been repelled by his prices.  He spoke most respectfully of you & most respectfully of your envois of Orchids reopening the fact of the rivalry of Bill Williams & others in respect of their N. Amern. or New Guinea things.  He still maintained that he had by far the best collection & that he would do very well with them.  I showed him Mrs. Forde's beautiful painting of Bigibbum & its fine variety & promised to let him see the second drawing that of Summneri, when it arrives.  You must write a monograph of the Bigibbum [indecipherable] of [indecipherable] with drawings by Mrs. Forde.  By the way some young lady friends who were here the day that Veitch was here, heard us so continuously using the specific name, that they declared that [indecipherable] of swearing after [indecipherable] fashion, by using the word "Bother", good gracious & so on.  They would always 

Current Status: 
Ready for review